Watch-winding mechanism



March 25, 193 0 H. w. JELLIFFE I 1,751,698

WATCH WINDING MECHANISM Filed May 22, 1926 INVENTOR ffiUVA/Ifl Nt/ELLIFFE ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 25, 1930 entree TATE-s PATENT OFFICEHOWARD W. JELLI'FFE, F CLEVELAND, OHIO WATCH-WINDING- MECHANISMApplication -fi1ed}M'ay;22, 1926. Serial No. 1 1L055.

force other than that of pressing the Watch against the proper drivingmechanism. A ditficulty has arisen with regard to such devices in thepast, for the reason that various watches having a great diversity ofsize and V strength of main spring, have required digt,

ferent power for winding them, and no means of adgustment for suchdlsparity has to my knowledge been provided. A clutch has usually beenused to drive the mechanism for as turning the .watch stem that waspressed thereagainst, and this clutch wasisupported to avoid overwinding, by slipping when the watch was fully wound.

But if the mechanism used was provided for Winding watches having strongsprings,

itwas foundfar too powerful torwinding-the smaller springs of delicatetime-keepers VVhi-le it was recognized that less power was required forthe smaller watches, ithas heretofore been d'iliicult toproperlyjprovide for accurate adjustment of the pa-rts, so that thewatch might be held against the driver until the latter automaticallystopped rotating. A further di-fliculty arose from former structureswhich did not provide for winding by the same mechanism a large numberof watcheshaving stems greatly differing size, the socket suitable forproperly winding "21 watch having a large stem tending to drive one witha small stem withigreater force.

I have overcome these defects by especially providing for-means of-ad-ju sting the driving force of the clutch employed, so that'a watch makermight divide '11P a large number of watches to be wound into several.groups according to size, and atter'winding-those of the larger group,adjustment can readily be made for winding with equal facility .thewatches of "another group of quite different size.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a common drivingelement with a plurality of socket members of different size any one ofwhich may be easily substituted for-any of the others.

These and other objects of my invention I am able to accomplish by'aconstruction embodying the features herein described and i1- lust-ratedin the accompanying drawings, in which v e Figure 1 is a side elevationof my improved mechanism in operation;

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View of the device taken in .theplane indicated by 3-3 of 1.;

Figure a ise. similar view taken in the plane indicated by the linel4ofFig. 1;

Figure .5 is.a;sectional view of a modified form of detachable elementwith parts broken oil, and

Figure '6 is'a longitudinal section lied detachable plug.

My winding mechanism ismounted upon an outwardly extending driving shaft1 from a motor 2 resting upon a-base 3. .T his shaft is axiallyimmovable, being mounted upon and driven by vthelmotor 2, and isprovided of amodiwith longitudinal keyWa ySO for aportion oi its length,a threaded enlarged portion l upon which a nut 5 is threaded, andareduced portion providing a shoulder thereon '7. This nut has a knurledperiphery Eli-for manually adjusting it lengthwise of the shaft byrotation about the enlargement 4. A clutch member 28 having a similarshoulder 9 is mounted upon said shaftandfis provided with a key lO topermit relative movementof said member axially but fixed to the shaftfor rotation therewith. A coiled pressure spring 11 is mounted upon theshoulders? and 9 forexerting pressure against theiclutchrmenr ber in adirection away from the motor. The nut 5 is .provided for adjustingt'he.force normally exerted by the said spring 11.

A sleeve 12 is mounted loosely upon the outer end of the shaftl-andissecured against withdrawal therefrom by means, ofa washer 13*m0untedupona reduced end portion 14 screw 18. A small pin 19 may be insertedthrough the washer 13 and into the shaft to make certain the rotation ofthe parts together. The washer 13 being secured against removal andindependent rotation serves well its purpose as one of the bearings forthe sleeve 12 whose shoulder 16 rotates upon the face of said washer,and its inner surface-- upon the edges of the washer.

The rear end of the sleeve 12 opposite the shoulder 16 bears against thefriction surface of the member 28 or an independent friction disc 20carried by the said member. In any case, the member 28 driven by theshaft 1 will serve as one member of afriction clutch mechanism of whichthe sleeve 12, mounted between parts 13 and 28, serves as the drivenmember which will be rotated with shaft 1 when the pressure between theclutch'members create sufficient friction, and will rotate independentlyof shaft 1 when the resistance encountered by 12 is too great for thefriction between the clutch members to overcome.

It is a prominent feature of my structurethat I may use interchangeablyseveral winding elements 21 which are detachable readily from the sleeve12 and parts carried by it. In Figs. 2, 3 and 4, I have shown the sleeve12 provided with longitudinal grooves 22 of which there may be a pairoppositely arranged upon the periphery of the entire length of thesleeve, and in which are located flexible members 23, the rear endsbeing quite fixedly secured to the sleeve by screws 24, and anintermediate point of the members being attached to the sleeve by asecond pair of screws 25 serving asa fulcrum to resist the outwardbending of the unattached ends of the springs. These ends are each bentradially inward and then outward to form V-shaped portions 26 whichserve to lock in position, though detachably, the winding elements 21which, because of the bent structure of the ends 26, may be forcedinward to the rear of these bent ends, as will be later more fullyexplained.

The form of detachable elements 21 shown in Fig. 2, comprises an annularpart 27 having at its rear face a reduced cylindrical portion 29 whichfits in telescopic relation within the other end of the sleeve 12. Theouter face of the member 27 has extended therefrom a sleeve element 31which is adapted to receive 7 sleeve. This plug is shown as solid inFig.

2, and has at its outer end a conical socket for receiving therein thestem of a watch to be wound. The outer end of the sleeve 31 is providedwith an enlarged and knurled portion 33 to assist the manual insertionof element 21 in the sleeve, the plug permitting manual insertion of thewatch stem 35 into the socket, and by frictional engagement therewith berotated and the watch wound.

A central opening 36 is provided in the annular part 27, thereremainingan annular inner surface 37 within the sleeve 31 and about theopening 36, which forms a shoulder against'which the rear end of theplug 32 may abut and resist unduetendency of the latter to yield underthe pressure exerted by the stem 35 while being wound. It is apparentthat the element 21 may readily be detached from the sleeve 12, sincethe flexible members 23 will yield sufliciently to permit the part 27 tobe forced forwardly and, an-' other element 21 of the same'or differentform substituted therefor, the members 23 returning radially to theirformer and normal position.

The form of detachable winding elements 21 so far described, disclosethe same having a radial flange 38 which is held detachably within theoutwardly-yielding spring arms 23. Obviously, this is not essential toretain my improved arrangement of elements for making the windingmembers interchangeable, but that spring members carried by the sleeve12 on its periphery may be enclosed by portions of the winding element,when desired; and I have so shown the connection in the structureillustrated in Fig. 5, where I have provided asimilar sleeve 31 mountedintegrally with the socket-element 39 which has a similar centralopening 40 providing a similar shoulder 47 for receiving a plugthereagainst, there being an annular flange part 48 having arearwardlydirected cup flange 41 which is sufficiently larger than theouter surface of the sleeve 42 to provide a slight annular space 43therebetween to receive a pair of spring elements 44 (only the forwardends of the arms being shown), there being longitudinal slots 45 in theflange 41 and sleeve 42 in which the arms 44 neatly fit and therebypermit the sleeve 42 and socket member 39 to rotate together. Theseslots 45 on the internal surface of 41 serve the same purpose as andcorrespond to the longitudinal slots 51 in the fiange 38 of the otherform. In the latter case, the springs 23 fit into such slots. as shownmore clearly in Fig. 1. o

The springs 44 exert a normal pressure outwardly tending to fit into theslots 45. This is just opposite to that of the arms 23 which tend tomove inwardly into the slots 51. Spring arms 44 may be secured to thesleeve 42 in any suitable manner, as by screws, in the manner that thearms 23 are secured to the sleeve 12in the other form, though it isclear that but one pair of -'screws will be needed in the attachmentofthe arms 44. The sleeve 3-1 is used in either form of detachab'lewindere-lement. The socket in the sleeve 31 as shown in Fig. 5, mayreceive the plug of slightly yieldahle material, as beforeexplaine Itwill now be shownthat other forms of such winding plugs may be used ineither formof winding element 21 or 39-. In Fig. 6, I have shown aperforated plug 5t) whose general outlineis much like that of the plug32, but which is providedwith a smaller socket 52, leaving a flatannular surface, 525 on the end of this plug. This form of plug isespecially adaptable tbrwindiirg; small wrist watches, and withoutstraining them by exerting manually too great pressure on their stems.The perforation 54 in this plug is axial thereof and in alinement withthe socket 52". It will be understood that'there is always a gradualwear of the surface of the socket against which the stem is pressed,especially when the plug is driven by power, as in this case, and thatit is highly desirable that "the winding contact should be at a'surfaceas far removed from the center of the stem as possihle, and this isespecially true when the knurled stem is so small as in wrist watches.Theaperture54meets this condition very nicely by offering; no resistanceto the stem at its axial: center, but presents a wedging action at thesocket about the opening 54.

As the cushion socket gradually recedes from the plug end by the wearthereimthe watch stem will fit aswell as ever the socket, and there willnot result any central resistance by the perforated socket, V as itgradually increases in the use. of the conical socket shown in Figs; 1and 2. The plugs 32 and 501na' be used in either type of windingelement, though the plug selected is usually retained in the socketofsleeve 31' which is selected,.s-ince the plug is cemented thereinquite securely, and with my type of detachable winding element there maybe provided a number of the preferred winding elements each having aplug with a different size socket, and some of the plugs having theperioration 54 and some solid. It is to be understood that I contemplateusing either type of plugwith either type ofwinding'element, and

' thatr'there may be a series ofwinding elements mounted ape-ninei'nOtOr 2 All Other parts are interchangeable for repair orrreplaeingwith new parts. In assembling the rnecha iii-sin, the-part 5 is firstscrewed into place quite far back on the body 4; The spring 11 thenapplied upon the shoulder 7, after which the clutch member 28 is slippedover the shaftand keyed thereon. New, either of an axially immovable hutrotatable driving shaft with aelu'tch thereon including therein aspringwhich tends to produce contact of the I clutch elements, but whichis so arranged that the frictional contact "of its eleinents isincreased by pressure'o-tthe watch stein onthe plug: carried by thedriven element of the elutcli,'sinces the stern willbe' driven rotatahlyby holding the watch in'thehand, and pressthe' stem against some sort ofdriven plug, such as plug 32, The same mech anism may readily beequipped with either o f'th-e winding elenients2'1 or 39, and witheither of the sleeves 112' or 42 forreceiving thereonsuchmnchngelements. Further, any one of the Winding elements "may beequipped with either" ofthe types of socket plugs, machine willordinarily he intended to receive thereon one of a series of suchwinding "elementsdeta hahly;

V have therefore invented a noveland useful winding mechanism which willrapidly wind watches of widely' di'tierent character b power, and. withsensitive adjustment as to the power required to fully wind the same,

depending. upon the'delicacy of the main spring of the individual watch,and yet li'a-v i'ng' quite positive limits beyend-which force applied bythe motor will not be exerted to the inj ury ofth'e "watch.

Having fullydescrihed'my invention, what I claim as new, andde'sire tosecure by'Letters Patent of the United States, is

1 In a watch winding'mech'anism', the com- "h'inatiion of an axiallyiininovahle driveshaft,

friction clutch jelementsmountedf on said shaft and movable airiailythereon, the drivin'g -element heingkeyed'tO-th'e shaft the drivenelement being reuse thereon hut-held by said shaft against mevement awayfrom the keyed'element beyond: certain "limits-pa shouldered nu'tthreadedro'n' said shaft *ad jacent the driving el'ernentrot theclutclr, a pressure spring: element mounted between" theslroulderanda'theikeyed 'element for' norma-l ly holding the clutch 1n;engagement, the said ILL) driven element having anannular portionprojecting beyond the limitsof the shaft, a winding element fordetachably engaging said projecting portion, and having means forreceiving yieldably thereagainst the stem of a watch to be wound, andpower means for rotating said drive shaft.

2. In a watch winding mechanism having a power-driven but axiallyimmovable shaft, a clutch slidably mounted bodily on said shaft andmeans for normally pressing the members of said clutch into axiallyengaged relation, a winding element for detachable engagement with thedriven element of the clutch comprising an apertured portion having anannular flange, an integral sleeve portion extending in alinement withsaid aperture and away from said flange, and a socketed plug of elasticmaterial cemented within said sleeve portion and having'a socket at theouter end thereof to receive therein the axial pressure of the stem of awatch to be woun c 3. The combination in a watchwinding mechanism of arotatable and power-driven,

but axially immovable drive shaft, clutch ele-' ments mounted upon saidshaft, the driving element of the clutch being keyed to the shaft butthe driven element loose thereon, yield ing means pressingagainst the.driving element for normally holding said clutch elements in clutchedrelation, the said driven element having a portion projcting away fromthe clutch and beyond the limits of the shaft, and a winding socketelementconnected with said projecting portion for receiving therein thestem ofa watch to be woundj j i. The combination in a watch windingmechanism of a rotatable and power-driven,

but axially immovable drive shaft, clutch elements mounted upon saidshaft, the drivlng element of the clutch being keyed to the shaft butthe driven element loose thereon, a coil spring encircling said shaftand pressing against the driving clutch element for nor mally holdingsaid elements in, clutched relation, the said driven element having anannular portion projecting beyond the limits of the shaft, and a windingsocket element detachably connected with said annular projecting portionfor receivingtherein the stem of a watch to be wound.

5. The combination in a watch winding mechanism of a rotatable andpower-driven, but axially immovable drive shaft. clutch elements mountedupon said shaft, the driving element of the clutch being keyed to theshaft butzthe driven element loose thereon,

yielding means'mounted upon said shaft at one end thereof for normallyholding said clutch elements in engaged relation, but permitting bodilymovement of the clutch londriven element adjacent the opposite endof theshaft, for receiving therein the stem of a watch to be wound.

6. The combination in a watch winding mechanism of a rotatable andpower-driven. but axially immovable drive shaft, clutch elements mountedcontiguously upon said shaft, the driving element of said clutch beingkeyed to the shaft but the driven element loose thereon, a spring membermounted upon one end of said shaftand tending to hold the clutchelements in engaged relation but yielding to permit bodily movement ofthe clutch longitudinal of the shaft, a Winding socket element fordetachable engagement with said driven elementadjacent the opposite endof said shaft for receiving therein the stem of a watch to be wound, andmeans on said shaft at the rear of said spring for adjusting the forceexerted by said spring member.

7. The combination in a watch winding mechanism of a rotatable andpower-driven, but axially immovable drive shaft, friction elementsmounted upon said shaft, the driving element of said clutch being keyedto .the shaft but the driven element loose thereon, a coil springencircling oneend of said shaft and exerting pressure against said keyedclutch element to. hold the clutch elements normally in an engagement, astop nut threaded upon said shaft end bearing thesaid coil spring foradjusting the clutch pressure normally exerted by said spring, a windingsocket element mounted in engagement with said driven element adjacentthe end of said shaft opposite the coil spring for winding a watchwhosestem is pressed axially against said winding element, and opposingthe pressure of. said coil spring.

, 8. In a watch winding mechanism, the coml b1nat1on of an axiallyimmovable power shaft,

friction clutch elements mounted on said shaft and movable axiallythereon, the driving element being keyed to the shaft and the drivenelement being loose thereon but held by'said shaft against movement awayfrom the keyed element beyond certain limits, a nut threaded on saidshaft adjacent the driving element of the clutch, a pressure springmounted between thenut and the keyed element for holding the clutchelements normally in engagement, the said driven element having a proecting portion extending beyond the end of the shaft, a winding elementfor detachably engaging said projecting portion, and having elasticmeans for receiving thereagainst the stem of a watch to be wound. Inwitness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of May, 1926.

HOWARD W. JELLIFFE.

gitudinally of the shaft, and awinding socket element for detachableengagement with said

